Old Kitchens...Cool Kitchens

Do you have pictures of any cool looking old kitchens? Farm kitchens, small kitchens, big family kitchens? Bachelor pad kitchens? Boat kitchens? Anything that would constitute a "Home Kitchen". Please scan them and post them or e-mail them to me. It would be really lovely to see kitchens messy and at work!!

A New Day

There's a process of elimination going on...And I want to point out it's an experiment, also. Within the last 5 months this way of cooking and eating home cooked meals has made me aware and sensible, thrifty and resourceful. I love to have the outlook about home cooking that I have now.

So with the knowledge and sensibility I have gained in the process, I changed the name to something much more suitable: Inspired Home Kitchen. I think this name suits it more appropriately. An inspired home kitchen...yes, that's what this is all about.

Home cooked meals made from scratch as much as possible and limiting eating out at restaurants to once or twice a month. When I say restaurant, that's exactly what I mean, a good local choice with fresh ingredients where you can eat something that you would not eat at home: A "treat". Absolutely no fast food or pre-made foods, I am sticking with my guns on this one.  Create some delayed gratification, mealtime is always coming around again. Eat sensibly from home and enjoy!

Cleaning Out The Refrigerator

Some days 'ya cook and some days 'ya don't. After cooking for a few days it's time for a rest and that means throwing everything and anything that is worth eating (edible) on a plate. That's when this happens: a pork chop, a large portion of pasta carbonara, garbanzo beans, sliced tomatoes, the end of a loaf of homemade bread...sounds like a lot, huh. I was starving and ate the whole thing. Usually, the miscellaneous ends of a meal go to work with me and I love, love, love that. But lately for work I have been taking a decadent cream cheese and nutella filled English muffin and a banana - that I cannot seem to get enough of. Oh, well dinner tonight meant cleaning out the frig and making room for the next cooking sessions. Ahh, well, it all goes to the same place as my grandmother used to say. Dig In!

In Praise of Jamie Oliver

I have a copy of Jamie's Food Revolution and I have to say that he's got it down. He has taken people and food and made it real by connecting the dots. People who have cooked only prepared food or never cooked and taken their hand through each of his recipes to teach them that cooking good homemade food from scratch is not difficult, in fact made these people see that cooking is one of the most rewarding simple things in life.


This cookbook is so matter-of-fact you can practically hear him speak. Just like one of the 'real' people he's taught to cook in his book said of him, he's the "cook whisperer".

Jamie's teaching people to fall back in love with cooking home cooked meals. Not the foodies but normal working people that he feels should learn to cook from scratch. It's an amazing book and an even more amazing 'ideal' way of life: Cooking good homemade food on any budget. The way it makes you feel to cook for yourself and family and friends is not just about how the food tastes but the responsibility and awareness it creates within yourself - like a new sense of pride. He changes up classics because as we all know - no recipe is written in stone, the meats can be changed and when you know flavors you can learn to do these things yourself.

Everyone must eat and everyone must cook. Simple. It's not a pipe dream people, it's reality. A kitchen is not a museum it's a working room in our home...use it.

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Last night I made Stuffed Chicken Breasts. They were very easy and looked amazing! It actually looked like a restaurant plate when it was done...I was impressed with myself, to say the least and I think they were very much appreciated.

Saute spinach in a little olive oil and garlic until it is just tender.
Saute thinly sliced red onion and mushrooms until they are just tender then add just a few dashes of balsamic vinegar and some freshly cracked pepper.
I took 2 large chicken breasts and sliced them lengthwise, these were so large that I cut them down the middle, also.
Have on hand about 1 teaspoon minced garlic.
Also, have on hand some ricotta cheese - about half a cup- mixed with garlic and freshly chopped parsley.
Open the chicken breasts and fill with about a tablespoon of the ricotta and then the spinach mixture. Fill them so that they will close just enough to see the filling inside.

Prepare a hot skillet that can be placed in an oven. Brown the chicken breasts and then put into the oven for about 15 minutes.

I had cooked some penne pasta - half a pound and tossed it with a bit of butter and marinara sauce. Pour this into a pyrex dish. Place the chicken on top. Spoon a big heap of the onion and mushroom mixture over the top. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan and a few dabs of butter. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with garlic bread. This is an amazing dish...I am sorry I did not get a picture, just happened too fast this time. Enjoy!!

Tea

I was raised by my English grandmother, although, she was Trinidadian and of French and Spanish decent she was decidedly English in many many ways because Trinidad during her time there was a British colony. One of those English ways being the love of the tradition of tea. There was always something for tea, whether it was cookies or cake or a big slice of sourdough toast with butter oozing off of it (one of my all time favorites) - there was always something put out for tea. I have been steeped in this ritual since I was a child and although I replace it with iced tea occasionally in the summer, I usually always have tea when I come home from work.

I have become quite obsessed with the proper tea, although it has only happened a handful of times during my adult life. I love the set-up of the the table. I love the brown Betty teapot and loose tea and sugar cubes. It's so faithfully English and terribly proper. Mixed china and odd silver pieces and dark wood and lace. Oh, so lovely and ladylike. But come on get real....I have a huge 16 ounce mug for my tea, using two tea bags, and milk and sugar...and eat whatever is around, usually toast - full of butter and jam. During the colder months I make quite a lot of gingerbread and pound cake, my sons favorites.

Having tea after work gives me a refresher and a lift to get things done at home. I put my feet on the coffee table and pick up a magazine for a bit and enjoy it...then I can move on. So make a cup; steep it strong and enjoy it!!

Striking A Guiltless Balance

This last month has been sort of a moment of truth for me. I have not ever been a person who wants my needs to be bothersome to other people, or to be questioned about myself too much. I hate to be the center of attention. Having this idea and this blog has brought many a question from all sorts of people, which I can handle - I love to tell people about the importance of homecooked foods and meals.

In doing this, I have been coming to terms with this whole thing. Being too strict in life is not my intention. Rather my idea is to bring to the forefront the importance of cooking and eating most meals from our home kitchen. There are times when it is necessary but not a real necessity to eat out, and socializing is important to all of us. I hate to be preachy and that is what's happening... But I want to get people to think about what constitutes a meal outside their home, other than at another persons home - but in a restaurant. I will absolutely not talk about fast food or drive-thru's. I think if a person/family is going to eat out then please make a good choice and eat at a local restaurant and sit down at a table. Do remember that the calories in restaurant foods are twice as much as the same meal cooked at home. I guess right now I'm doing what I think others should do...think about what, how, and where they eat. Like I've said before it is a challenge. Make it a point that eating out is a treat if you do it, and not the way to eat everyday.

Canning Time!

Over the last few years I taught myself how to can using a hot water bath. It was one of those things where I read everything I could get my hands on and kept a book close by while I attempted my first "processing".  To hear my first pops from the seals was one of those simple little things in life that brought a smile and a whoo hoo! 

I love older houses that have canning kitchens in the basements. When I was young I had no idea they were for canning, but I remember seeing a few houses with that extra kitchen in the basement. I just thought they did a lot of cooking...As an adult I came to find out how they were used and in the heat of the summer so it was cooler for canning. Resourceful and logical...gotta love it.

I will say that I have not ventured far from the tree yet; in other words, I have not canned anything but jam, marmalade's and preserves yet. I have gone with as much homegrown as possible and if not got fruit from a local farmer's market. My favorites have been marmalade from a friends orange tree; kumquat marmalade from fruit from a farmer's market and blueberry jam.

I am lucky this year to be living in a house with an enormous local Idaho plum tree. I have been told by my landlady to use them up and give away whatever I can. And if I make jam to use a lot of sugar - the fruit is tart. The fruit is almost ready. The tree was gorgeous in the spring when it blossomed with with white flowers - truly a spectacle. It is my intention to use as much fruit as possible for jam and jelly....and I can't wait. I know in the middle of it all it's going to seem like a chore that never ends but in the end it will be lovely. Oh and I love to have jars to give away - during the holidays and whenever someone comes to visit. There is truly nothing like homemade jam.

Making Good Choices?

Michelle Obama spoke to the National Restaurant Association (NRA) today about making healthier choices for kids on their menus. For kids selections there is mostly fries, burgers, mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. I agree that kids do tend to stick with what they know and will wail at the thought of putting something different in their mouth - I have seen it happen many a time. I do think that chefs could be more creative with their presentation for the kids.

I have to mention my grandmother here because she could make anything healthy and more appealing to a small child by making it into something - a happy face or a goofy face made with vegetables and cheese. Pancakes became bears with honey. As a child I was a terribly picky eater and ate the same foods day in and day out. It would take me an hour just to eat scrambled eggs if they were not cooked the way I liked them. The feel of the food in my mouth was a big deal; if it was slimy or mushy it would just sit in my mouth and I couldn't get it down - hell no - no way. I literally gagged on certain foods. Thank god I grew up and out of that!

As a mother of one son with a hearty appetite that ate well and ate his mother's cooking, I was blessed. There were not many things that I would make that he rejected. Going out he tended to like the 'adult' side of the menu and had a much more sophisticated palate than I had as a child. He loved tuna salad from the age of two. Ate hot sauce and spicy foods that I never would have touched. Being my only child I gave him everything I ate and most of the time he liked it. He like sushi the first time he ate it when he was around seven, even with a little wasabi.

Kids are a challenge, good eating habits are suppose to come from home, just like values. Yes, restaurants need to offer adults and children healthier choices but, going out should be a 'treat'. A real treat--not something that after you pick the kids up from after-school care you drive thru and eat in the car. If you are going to go out it should be to a place to also teach your kids how to behave in public and by that I mean without running around with fries in their hand. I am a big believer in sharing, hey they are big portions anyway, and it gives kids the chance to taste something new and it's our job as parents to encourage them to broaden their little taste buds. Just ask for an extra plate...remember that one?

The kinds of food that I will choose to eat out will most likely be ethnic foods; I love good Mexican, real homemade Indian food and Thai food. I will seek out the places that take pains to make their food from scratch and 'treat' myself on occasion. The kinds of food I love, yet cannot make properly at home. Yes, portions are enormous and a plate in a restaurant has twice as many calories as the same plate of food at home. Slice it down the middle; Eat half of what is served.

Remember those days when if a plate was put in front of you at someones house, it was bad manners not to eat it? What happened to that kind of respect?

Again, here, I will mention that the package of something will not make a person happier or better or feel something they've never felt before. That's ludicrous...

Eventually, kids will learn to eat well if we set a good example. A plate of good food should be set in front of them at meal time and they should be thankful and eat it and feel comforted and satisfied. Ultimately, learning to eat healthy meals should come from home. It's no one else's responsibility but the parents with or without healthier choices on the menu.

A Few Good...Marinades

Grilling season may be over soon, although, I know people that use their outdoor grill even when there is snow on the ground - it is truly hard to give up! But if you're like me...there is always the broiler, one of my favorite ways to cook.
I have in my repertoire a few good marinades - simple ingredients with lots of flavor. Remember it is best to use a non-reactive dish like plastic or glass.

Mix ingredients to taste - and inspire your own flavors by altering the ingredients to suit yourself.

#1
Soy Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil
Minced Ginger
Minced Garlic, or Garlic Powder
Sesame Seeds
Sometimes I add a few splashes of hot sauce for an added kick
This marinade gives fantastic flavor for chicken, steaks and fish. Marinade for about 1 hour in plastic ziploc bag or glass dish in the refrigerator.

#2
Lemon Juice
Lemon Zest
Garlic, crushed
Olive Oil
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Cilantro, Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Allow the marinade to sit for an hour for the flavors to meld together. Marinade meat or chicken for an hour or two.

#3
Lemon Juice
Lime Juice
Orange Juice
Minced Garlic
Dried Oregano
Cumin or Chili Powder
Bay Leaf
Olive Oil
Salt
Sometimes I add a sprig of rosemary and omit the cumin and chili powder. The citrus and rosemary combination is wonderful!
Follow the same as above for marinading meat.

Notes on marinading: If you take an acid like citrus and add vegetable oil or olive oil and add flavors from there, you will have a fantastic marinade. I usually use about 1/3 cup of oil and the juicesof the whole lemon, etc. The more citrus/acid you add the more your meat will be tenderized. Taste the marinade before adding meat. I have left meat in marinades for 2 hours to 12 hours, and 12 hours was a bit too much, but a good soaking of 3 hours is probably the best if you have the time. Marinading meats is the way to go for grilling and broiling!

Lost But Not Forgotten

Summer has been way too short for me here in the mountains. Fall is in the air already. Fresh produce - I still have an abundance of green tomatoes on the vine. Small county fairs - barbecuing meats and roasted corn. I was a judge at the 4H for cooking and sewing and with my meal ticket had bbq chicken and corn. Good wholesome food. The 4H kids baked cookies and brownies, great job for 8 and 9 year olds, I was very proud of them.

I have kept up my home cooked meals except for the one exception I had to make: A date, just recently. The item I chose was chicken Caesar salad, not too complicated or floating in goop. My to date, I will keep to myself.

I am lucky have a landlady that has a huge vegetable garden just south of here. She has dropped off way too many zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers and lettuce. I am zucchini-ed OUT! I have made zucchini everything. Shredded and cooked down it makes a wonderful filling for tacos, with sour cream, avocados, beans and salsa - you would be amazed at just how tasty these are. Shred zucchini, which I found the easiest way to cook them, and you can add them to just about anything from eggs to pasta and ground beef. Add some onions and spices and you're ready to add them to anything or have them as a side vegetable.

Several zucchini breads have been made with slices added to lunches and hiking trips and wood cutting trips - no one can seem to get enough of it. Why is it there is always sooo much zucchini?

With fall coming it's like the changing of the guard; different cooking methods come into place. The oven stays on longer, soups and stews become more predominant meals. Baking cookies seems like a new treat once again.

I have my hopes up that summer will make a little rebound and come back and be with us for another couple of weeks - but we will have to see...

3 Month Mark

During the last 90 days I have been eating my own home cooked meals or other people's home cooked food. I know what I veer towards in restaurants and fast food and have tried when needed to duplicate that with my own versions. I get on my kicks of Mexican or Italian. Love my salads and French bistro cooking. Have my homemade bread and jam. I know what home cooked meals of my own I love and keep on hand at all times, carbonara, vegetables for roasting, potatoes of every kind and freshness as often as possible. I eat eggs - omelette's - and salad a lot, as it's summer now, eating patterns will change with the seasons. I've been keeping garbanzo beans and black or pinto beans in the refrigerator for my tacos and salads, also.

When I shop I always make sure when I come home I prep and cook what I know will be a few good meals. Meats or casseroles last me 3 maybe 4 days. Cooked rice is another good item to have on hand, it mixes well with ground beef, eggs and cheese and will make a dish a little bit heartier than expected.

I know that by myself I can eat a whole loaf of bread and whole pound cake within about 7 days. Sounds like a lot? I thought so, too. But I do and I feel much better for it. No pounds gained, none lost.

I'm enjoying this. The trick is to Think Ahead...Meals Ahead. Hungry? The next meal is at 8AM, 12PM and 5PM. Meal time always comes around so snacking is not really that necessary.
Let your hunger grow and sit down and eat what you cook.
~All my best.

Fiesta Fries

I'm sure you know I love my fries or pommes frites. In the early 90's I owned a snack bar and at the time it was sort of the craze to have fries any way you could imagine. Of course, there was the usual, chili cheese fries and nacho cheese fries, I, also made something similar to the In-N-Out Animal fries with cheese and fried onions. My personal favorite, though, are the fiesta fries: fries topped with cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream.
Homemade fries, however, are the best. I know that I can eat 2 medium potatoes cut into strips by myself with toppings. If there is any taco meat or chicken that can be chopped up for the topping, hey the more the merrier. I love my fries, and I hope you do, too!

Things That Drive Me Wild

Face it we all have a taste for something that not many others would understand. Certain things that are just mmmmm...Homemade bread; anything with pistachios or macadamias, nearly all things chocolate, junky cereals...and some definite junk food fetishes. I love Yoo Hoo's and Moon Pies and I'm from southern California - and I love Nutella. Right now I am on a Nutella kick - on homemade bread, baguettes, bananas, ice cream, strawberries, straight from the jar. This was not something I grew up on, I never had it until I was at least in my 30's and it was sort of an acquired taste, not too sure what to think at first. Once I tried a knock off brand and knew right away it wasn't the same - went back to the original and never once looked back. There is always an emotional tie to the foods we love - a certain loyalty. It's funny if I hear the song to an old t.v. sitcom the music will often remind me of a taste or a smell from home growing up; Sunday dinner, a roast in the oven, a cake baking, chutney slow cooking on the stove. Sometimes you just have to eat and linger...

Roasted Green Beans

My new favorite thing - that thing that I can't get enough of is Roasted Green Beans.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Wash the beans and dry them. Lay them out on a baking sheet toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, then toss them around. bake for another 10 minutes or so. The beans will be shriveled and brown in spots, and that's just how they should be. I like mine on the overdone side. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. These are just to die for! I love all vegetables roasted but I had never tried these, you will be amazed at how good that stale old green bean can taste!

You Don't Have to Buy to Be Happy

I used to clip tons of coupons and pride myself in how much I saved every week, and I did save a whole heckuva lot. What I didn't realize back then was that I was getting a healthy dose of "Consumerism" by buying products with little or no nutritional value and lots of cool packaging.

Being frugal and buying whole foods is healthy in the long run. Eating real meals that have not been processed or packaged and served on plates is real living. Buying into something because of the advertising campaign for the product is so ridiculous when you think about it. It's junior high school playground at it's worst. Buying a certain product is not meant to make you a better person or a more popular person or make you happy or act a certain way...commercialism and marketing are meant to make us 'feel' they get under our skin and our kids' skin to emotionally connect us to their product. It's not right and if you have kids it's especially hard to raise them without the influence of commercials and eye catching products. When you can't give them and hopefully don't want to give in to their every whim it makes you feel bad and standing your ground is hard especially when you feel like you've hurt them because you aren't buying for them. We all have to learn - You don't have to buy to be happy.

Tacos Galore

I love Mexican food, being from L.A. I have my favorites. I love traditional food made with lard - I also, like healthy Mexican, like Chipotle's bare burrito - Awesome. When I make it at home I steer towards the more healthy fare. Yesterday, I cooked some chicken breasts and sliced it and chopped it, fried some corn tortillas and made taco shells. I had some black beans that I had made earlier in the week along with some brown rice. Years ago I found this hot sauce called Bufalo, it's a smoked chipotle chili sauce and it's worth it's weight in gold for flavor - and it's about a dollar at the market. I make chipotle mayo with it for fries or burgers. Anyway so this addition to my tacos was unbelievable...I was in heaven.

Today I had a salad version of my tacos from last night: lettuce, chicken, beans, tomatoes, cheese. I mixed the chipotle sauce with a little oil and balsamic vinegar. Heaven!

When I get into a Mexican food kick, I like to make meat to have on hand along with tortillas, sour cream, salsa, beans and avocado...To tell you the truth I have eaten like this all of last week and been quite happy.

Stuffed Spuds

Really good baked potatoes are the best. Since we have been having thunderstorms lately I decided to bake a bunch. When I bake potatoes for stuffing I bake them a bit differently. I toss them in olive oil and salt and pepper them really well, place them in a pie dish and bake them. The skins are sooo delicious. Tonight I have some sauteed broccoli and fried onions and cheese. Tomorrow I will fry up one and put a little chili over the top with cheese and sour cream. These are great for the office as they heat up fast and make everyone wonder what smells so good. Also, very economical and I love that! Anything to save money these days helps. Cheese, salsa and sour cream is another favorite. When I was in London a few years ago many of the pubs offered stuffed spuds on the menu - Classic!

Buy Only the Best Vanilla

I have been through culinary school and know all about good vanilla and using vanilla beans and all the celebrity chefs say to use only the best vanilla extract and let me tell you something, it's worth its weight in gold. I have been on a budget lately and tried the store brand vanilla extract and couldn't figure out why my cakes were tasting a 'little off', to say the least. Well, I looked at the bottle and corn syrup is an ingredient, the smell is very good, but it does not bake well. It just doesn't taste like it should. So I will scrimp and save and buy only the very best vanilla I can get my greedy little hands on. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way...

On A Bed of Greens

I am a cookbook hound, I will peruse through anything I can get my hands on. If I really like the book, I will read it thoroughly and go through every single recipe. I particularly love French cooking; it's simplicity at the very finest. Simplicity is a sign of perfection, I learned that from my figure skating days - the less complicated something is the better it is.

You know that I love my salads but I have now discovered A Bed of Greens. The bed can be torn leaf lettuces or mesclun, which is beautiful - or whatever you prefer. I like to toss mine with a little olive oil and salt and pepper to begin with. Last night I made an amazing salad starting with greens, tomatoes, chopped bacon, garbanzo beans, cheddar cheese sliced very thin and sauteed mushrooms.

So basically, anything warm can be served on top of a bed of greens; potatoes, roasted vegetables, meats, melted cheese on toast...the possibilities are endless. Dream up something good!!!

Chicken, Mushrooms and Rice

I was in the mood for something that was really comforting that I wouldn't have to watch and I decided on Chicken and rice smothered in mushrooms. I've made this with wild rice and it's wonderful, however, today I made it with brown rice.

Here's what I did: In a large skillet brown the chicken on all sides, I used chicken breasts, add 2 cups of mushrooms and few splashes of Worcestershire sauce, and a few sliced garlic cloves with salt and pepper to taste. Put a lid on the skillet and put in the oven at 300 degrees. Meanwhile make the rice, and brown rice usually takes 40-45 minutes.

Once the rice is done, remove the chicken from the oven, put the chicken and mushroom sauce into a bowl. Pour the rice into the skillet and stir it to pick up some of the flavors in the bottom of the skillet. Place the chicken on top, pouring the mushroom sauce over the top. Ooooh, the chicken is tender and the flavors are amazing. I know this is not really a summer dish, but it was the thing for today...totally worth it!!

Make Your House Smell Like A Home

I have had bread on my mind a lot lately, and I have to admit that the only reason I haven't done yet since I have been on this project is out of sheer laziness. I know that bread is not hard and it is not an exact mixture of ingredients like baking a cake.
The truth of bread making is in knowing what the dough should look like at what stages. In the first mixture stage it's sticky then it will begin to pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl. Knead by hand for about five minutes on a floured board, get it into a ball and put into a bowl, cover it with a linen towel and let it double in size which will take about 1 1/2 hours. Once the dough has doubled punch it down and knead again for about 5 minutes. Baking pan ready - I use soft butter to grease the pan. Place dough in the baking pan and allow to rise again -  not quite doubling. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes and its brown on top and gives a hollow sound when you tap it. Butter the top when you remove from the oven to cool.

I made this bread strictly from memory - and because of culinary school I know the stages. It takes practice, but it really is only a few simple ingredients:

Yeast
Water
Flour
Sugar or honey
Salt
Oil

I will be posting A Few Good Recipes for Bread, eventually. Baking bread should not be a scary all-day task and for Gods' sake it does not take a friggin 200.00 bread machine to make a successful loaf of bread. When looking at recipes for bread look for the ones with few ingredients and simple instructions. OMG homemade bread, butter and homemade jam....get it down because it's one of life's simple pleasures - makes a house smell like a home.

Anticipation

As a child I was told to wait for something many, many times. As a mother I told my son 'Wait' it seems like every day for nearly everything until he turned 18. Actually, I have taken that 4 letter word quite personally and dreaded the time I heard 'wait' until I finally got what I wanted. As I have gotten older I have found a sweetness in getting what I want after waiting and daydreaming about it. Like when I was a child and I finally got that pretty piece of chocolate and I would take small bites and save a piece for later. Agonizing over getting it and then savoring every single bite like I'd never get it again.

One thing I am really happy about is that some stores I know have brought back lay-a-way. For this I am truly grateful. I no longer use credit cards and this allows me to get something I really want and look forward to it, and set aside for it. By the time I get it I feel like I have earned it and it is truly mine, never owing another red penny for it.

I once worked with a girl several years ago who was going to school and would  not allow herself anything sweet until after her final exams were over. It was more of a family and nationality subject to her but it just seemed like something really wise to do. Instead of just having anything sweet whenever she wanted she looked at as more of a reward, and I am sure that it was priceless once she got it. Also, it was looking at food in a whole new light to me - it was not something that was just there to fill a void and grab because you could; it was an experience and a pleasure to look forward to. I love that and that is one of my favorite things about what she did.

Even if we can have everything we want or could wish for it is a healthy thing to do for ourselves to make a time for something or a place for something - or both - that will require it to be more special and meaningful. It's not just about what's going into your mouth but a full sensation of the area around you to create an experience. Am I sounding preachy? Yea, but I am still trying to get my idea across about cooking home cooked meals and a good home cooked meal is not something you pop in the microwave for 2 minutes or unwrap and it put into the oven. Admittedly, it takes some planning, but it is not difficult to add a few portions to a meal to have left overs for lunches, not every meal needs to have you painstakingly standing and stirring over the stove. I have been doing this for 2 months now, I think about it constantly and how healthier it is - and I don't eat organic and cage free because at the moment it's too expensive and I am on a budget - so it is just simply home cooked meals. Planning meals and cooking them and anticipating them cause the saliva to flow and the juices in your stomach to start moving around, which is much healthier for digestion.

What have you been anticipating lately?? Have a great day!!

GORP

I am not a big snacker and the kind of eating habits I am putting into place here do not allow a fast fix. But I am a scheduled eater, if I don't eat when I do get really hungry, I begin to get a little shaky.

On Sunday I went on a roadtrip for the day with a friend. It had not sunk in with her that I really do not eat out, and she did stop at Taco Bell for her son. Foreseeing this issue on the trip I had a good meal before I left and at a gas station I got a bag of plain salted peanuts. Which brought me to the topic of GORP - 'good old  raisins and peanuts' aka, trail mix.

I like mixed nuts (salted) or just peanuts, chocolate covered raisins - I love the chocolate with the salted nuts. A mixture of whatever you like; chopped dried fruits - I like chopped dried pineapple, dates or apricots - and any nuts, chocolate/carob chips or yogurt chips. Put it all into a big jar and shake it up to have ready for serious hunger pangs, road trips or long hikes. When I used to ice skate once in a while I would take a thermos of peppermint tea with honey and a bag of trail mix - the best.

Carbonara Cures A Hangover

I made Spaghetti ala Carbonara for breakfast today. I have to say that it is an instant cure all for a hangover. The perfect combination of greasy fat, protein and carbs, instantly I felt better...

I make mine with plain old "American" bacon.
Make the spaghetti, as usual. Chop the bacon and fry it in a small saute pan. Once its done, drain the grease, except for about a tablespoon and take the bacon out. Chop a garlic clove and saute that in the bacon grease. Beat an egg in a small bowl - have ready. Drain the spaghetti and keep about half a cup of the pasta water. Dump the whole thing in the saute pan with the garlic. Add egg mixture - at this point the heat should be off or on very low as to not scramble the eggs (but if this happens it's not really a big deal). Stir in about a half cup of parmesan cheese and add the bacon. Sprinkle with pepper and you'll feel much better, trust me on this one!

Soup and Salad

I have been a bit busy and preoccupied with summer life. I live in a beautiful place and try to take advantage of it as much as I can. I am in the process just now of making a white bean and rosemary soup that will last a few days. Plenty of salad fixings to go with it.

Here's what I did: I soaked small white beans (1 cup) over night, drained and rinsed them, added chicken stock about an inch over the top. A large sprig of rosemary, a medium chopped onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. I like it when bean soups cook over low heat for a long time so I have been cooking it for about an hour and a half and may cook for another hour - the beans in this soup will be very mushy. Then I'll puree half of it in the blender to get a mixture of a smooth and chunky texture. And I will make sure to take the sprig out before I do this! Salt and pepper to taste at this point and a handful of crumbled bacon on top and that's dinner. Also, a salad of greens and tomatoes with lemon and olive oil, salt and pepper. The house smells wonderful!!!!

Orange Fluff

My Grandma Trudy used to make what I called Orange Fluff and it's summer junk food at its best:

1 pkg (sm) orange jell-o
1 can mandarin oranges drained
1 container cottage cheese
1 container cool whip

Mix everything together and refrigerate.

Its kind of considered a buffet side salad and I have seen versions of it in salad bars. But nothing compares to this. I can't get enough of this stuff....not healthy but not too, too bad.

LOL - I have just been reading James Beard and he would consider this a basement salad, and I have to agree with him, this is not a salad, its just one of those things.

Outta Jam

Not too long ago I ran out of jam: I finished the last of a huge batch of orange marmalade that I made last year, gathering oranges from a friends tree. I eat jam every day and have insisted the jam I keep in my house be homemade for a while now. Making jam is a big project that I love dearly; fruit all over the kitchen, water bath boiling, ladling hot fruit into hot jars, the table filled with upside down jars - popping one after another. My grandmother taught me how easy it was to make jam and chutney but I taught myself how to process the jars in the hot water bath. It is now one of my favorite things.

But, last night feeling the urge to have jam back in the house and not a lot of fruit I made some blueberry-lemon jam. With 2 cups of blueberries, 1 1/2 cups sugar and the zest of 1 lemon, I made jam. There is no need for pectin, cooking the berries and sugar until it coats the back of a spoon will be fine. I never use pectin, if I had an apple I would have grated some of it and used it. Since I am using this right away - I poured it into 2 jars and let cool and put into the refrigerator. So there's my emergency jam. I will do more canning later~

A Little Slip

The past couple of days have been great, I've gone camping overnight and gone to a barbecue. The weather is perfect, not too hot for me as I am not a heat lover. Everything we brought camping was homemade and wonderful: marinated venison steaks, corn on the cob, grilled zucchini, salad. It was funny at the barbecue yesterday I went for the chips - doritos, and I ate 3 of them and still feel guilty - I was going to make my plate and started talking to someone and all of a sudden I was eating doritos, I mean I just didn't think. It's not like this is a diet, but I feel better and am looking at the way I do things differently - preparation and thought mean something to me. The food was amazing though, slow-cooked bbq pork with sauce, pasta salad, beans, anyway you know the picture...food for days. And of course, it's not going to kill me...3 doritos...lol.

Thankful for Integrity

My grandmother had a way of being thankful to someone that I didn't truly appreciate until I got much older. She would instinctively know how much time a person - an artist, chef, or any creative person - put into something and for that she would always show them appreciation with a very direct thank-you, looking them in the eye and asking them questions about it. Looking back, I could relate, I knew what she was getting at and why she was thankful. Her thought was 'that person cared enough to take the time, which means they care about what they're doing. They were not just flinging something around willy-nilly to get it over with.' It was their creation and giving time and attention is showing you care about it - know that. I am glad that I got this, because I feel like I know when someone really cares about what they are doing, including me.

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

When I was little and had a long day at the pool, the river or the beach with friends and family, we would have dinner outside after taking a shower. Just as it got a little breezy and the temp went down. Most of the time just a light dinner of grilled cheese - made the old fashioned way on soft white bread with processed American cheese, Campbell's tomato soup - to which was added a dollop of cottage cheese to, and we ate it with our hair wet with our clean summer clothes on. What an amazing feeling: being out in the sun all day and coming home to shower and be outside again in the light summer breeze. Oh, to be a child with no care in the world!

Summer Supper

In summer I eat salads every day. One of my favorite meals is a big green salad with a vinagrette, with some cold roasted chicken or sliced ham. Maybe some sliced tomatoes, bread and butter. Everything goes on one plate and voila! that's dinner. For the meat I usually have some chutney or a favorite sauce is a little mayo mixed with a smoked chipotle sauce (the mayo to thin it out and reduce the temp).

Strawberries are a fruit that I think we all must love. I like to slice strawberries, mix sour cream with some brown sugar and pour over the bowl of berries. I love this so much I usually eat them all - saving none for later. I love to eat....

The Art of Preparation

Is anybody getting what I am talking about here...
To love the ingredients as much as the dish they produce.
To put thought into the food we buy, we prepare and we eat.
The time we put into preparing food is in a sense showing respect for ourself and the food.
It is important to buy ingredients and not just food that we can put directly into our mouth instantly or within a few minutes, from a box, bag or wrapper - only to satisfy hunger. Yes, to satisfy hunger is important - but we must also nourish our souls with preparation, ritual and tradition. Eating without preparation is missing ingredients that are not edible, but they are the soul nourishing ingredients: patience and love.


I know it is not possible to create every single meal that we eat from our home kitchen, and there are times when socially we must eat out. But the main percentage of our meals must be cooked at home with real ingredients. I think we must have that basic concept in our life. Home cooked meals are not frozen dinners to put in the oven or microwave. They are real ingredients put together to create a meal. There should be no processed food in our homes or boxes of premade food. It saves money and it is more nourishing to our bodies and ourselves to buy whole foods and ingredients. I hope I encourage you, I hope I inspire you.

Orange French Toast

A la orange bitters.
I have used the original Angostura bitters in french toast but this is a new twist made with their orange bitters...and it's pretty amazing.

4 slices bread
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk or half and half
1 tsp Angostura orange bitters
powdered sugar
maple syrup or Lyle's golden syrup
orange or lemon slices

Whisk the eggs, milk and bitters in a bowl. Heat a griddle. Dip the bread into the egg mixture - coat both sides - and place on griddle, cooking for about 3 min on each side. Sift powdered sugar over the top and squeeze a slice of lemon or orange on them. If you like use some syrup. This is a bit of a take on the Dutch baby. I found that I didn't want syrup, they were amazing just with the powdered sugar and squeeze of lemon. Oh, wow....very nice. :)

Easy Summer Pasta

Tonight I made a really easy Pasta with sauteed veggies and parmesan.

I made the pasta and sauteed zucchini, summer squash and garlic. Tossed both together with some butter and olive oil and parmesan cheese. A little cracked pepper and more parm over the top and it was the perfect summer meal. It's hot out now and I did not want to have the stove on for long, so this was the right thing to do today.

Any veggies work here, peppers, onions, some olives.When I was  a kid I never really liked tomato sauce on my pasta just the meat, cheese and butter. I have grown to like tomato sauce but have found many other ways to make pasta without it, also. I feel comforted and satisfied after pasta....FULL. I ate like a pig...

$15.00 A Week Food Budget

I have been on enough budgets in my life...single parent, making a mortgage payment and I have been laid off more than once. With all of the unemployment and people now losing unemployment, I wonder how people cut back? 

I once made my food budget $15.00 a week and I did it for about a month.

I will say that my pantry was pretty good at the time - I had plenty of dry beans, rice, pasta, hot cereal and flour. Also, I had dried herbs and spices - nothing extravagant, but I did not have this extra expense. What I did spend it on was milk, eggs, cheese and fruit and vegetables. And I made it work. I didn't starve and neither did my son. I didn't lose weight and we were not malnourished.

I made lentils; beans and rice; sauteed vegetables and made baked potatoes. We had eggs and cheese - I made burritos and quesadilla's. I have said this before - I am not vegetarian, but having meat was at the time a luxury and I was willing to give that up to pay my bills.

It is beneficial to move with the tide if you want to survive. I think I taught my son some valuable lessons when things like this happened to us. And I taught him to always eat healthy. It was not as though we never ate beans and rice or lentils or pasta without meat. When he was young he would never know anything was different but when he got older I told him how nutritious lentils and rice were and that if times are tough you never go hungry. Make home cooked meals people - and you will discover how resilient you are.

Roasted Garbanzo Beans

I really like these, they are kind of addictive and so friggin good for you it's ridiculous.
You can use canned beans, rinse and dry them with paper towels. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Toss the beans in some olive oil and spread onto a baking sheet. I like to do the baking part first and then season while they are hot. It takes a while to get them toasted and crisp. The first time I did it I went by a recipe that said it would take 30 minutes. It ended up taking a good 45 minutes. Every 10 minutes or so you need to shake them around in the pan. For seasoning I like plain salt or seasoned salt while they are still hot in the pan. They should be lightly crisp and crunchy. You can literally use any seasoning to your liking; I have used Indian spices - cumin and coriander - really good. Also, onion powder or garlic salt. I can eat the whole can in one sitting and my saving grace is that they are so good for you I just let myself eat them - no worries. These are not as different as they sound at first, it does not take much of an acquired taste, if you like corn nuts you will most likely enjoy these.

Little Rituals

I eat everywhere in my house - in the kitchen; over the stove; over the sink; in front of the frig; in front of the cupboard. In the living room on the couch. In my bedroom, especially at night and coffee on Sunday mornings. In my car. At my desk at work. It's always nice to see the pretty pictures in magazines of a nicely set table with pretty people dressed and eating with smiles on their faces. There is never a picture of a teenage boy complaining that he doesn't want oatmeal, or a four year old standing on the chair screaming at the top of his lungs.
I like to try and sit at the table. At the moment I don't own one so I eat at my desk in my house - while I'm on the computer. I like tables and I like table cloths, one draped one way and another over the other way. I like linen napkins, too, not the fussy ironed ones, but the ones that are fresh out of the dryer and not pure white but natural looking. I like it easy going with just a touch of formality, after all it is a meal and a table should always be set somewhat properly. Growing up my grandmother always had placemats. She had some woven ones that rolled up that I liked, and many others. After the meal, they got picked up, and the centerpiece left in the middle of the table. 
My one ritual is that I have  my coffee in the same mug every morning. I used to have a mug that my grandmother's sister gave to me when I was 13. We had gone to Fisherman's Village in Marina del Rey, and in a shop there she bought me a mug that said 'Le Chat'. I was dating a guy when I was 35 and he broke that mug. I came home from work and found the remnants of it in my sink. He knew the history of it, too, I had told him how long I had had it, and he didn't bother to even call me right away to tell me. I have to say, right then and there I lost all the feelings I ever had for the guy. I tried to make it work, but I couldn't do it. That mug meant so much to me and he acted like it was nothing. From age 13 to 35 that mug had been everywhere with me, and he thought it was just a mug. Little things mean a lot.

Lentils & Brown Rice

This is not a nutritional value kind of blog but I have just made one of my more nutritious meals of lentils and brown rice. Since I was a child I have known that this combination of grain and legume is the 'perfect protein'. I know that I like it very much and when I am on a budget and sometimes not, I make it for a hearty meal. It's one of my favorite things to take to work for lunch as it is very filling.

Here's how I make it:
I heat up the saucepan with a little oil and add the rice to toast it for just a few minutes to get it dark.
Then I add the water or stock and the lentils (make sure to rinse and pick out any stones). At this point I add 1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves, a carrot and a zucchini - all diced. If I don't add stock, I usually add a bullion cube. I let this all stew nicely for about 40 minutes. Adding the salt and pepper to taste after the vegetables are tender. I do not like mine too soupy - but it will continue to absorb the broth so make sure you have added plenty of water. Sometimes I put a bit of grated cheese on top; it's good either way. I have at different times added a can of diced tomatoes and this is delicious, also. Healthy eating is so friggin easy.


I had only used the plain brown lentils found at most markets but  recently I found the French lentils or Puy lentils which I now love. I love legumes and grains and there are so many out there, not just the ones in the markets, try googling 'heirloom beans and grains'. I am just amazed at what is out there and some farmers are starting to bring things back to life that consumers would not buy like black garbanzo beans and purple barley. I am so excited about this, I can't wait to try them and have them in my pantry.
New Staples!! I am such a cheap date...

Blog to Blog

OK, something interesting, I was interviewed for the Angostura bitters blog. Please check it out!!  Just click on the link. Bitters is the best and there is only one...Angostura, totally rocks!! Follow it for amazing and flavorful recipes....mmmmm.

http://www.bitterbeautyblab.blogspot.com/

A Jar Fetish

I'm into jars.
No, I have not gone and thrown all of my plastic containers and utensils away - I will keep them because I have them. I discovered several years ago that I love glass jars. In learning more about them and learning home canning, I discovered that there are plastic lids you can buy to fit both the regular and the wide mouth jars. This made me love them all the more for using jars as dry storage and for keeping homemade jams in the frig without getting that muck around the top of the jar.

They are very inexpensive, you can get them by the box or what I have just found is that thrift stores have them all the time and they are about .25 or .50 a piece. You still have to sterilize them - as always - and buy the seals if you're going to use them for canning or use them for pantry storage and use the plastic lids. But what a bargain!! You can reuse them and they last forever!!

I found these great French jars at a thrift store. The lids have latches and a rubber gasket to tightly seal them.

Economical, reusable, efficient, they keep the bugs out - and they're cool to look at. They're glass - you can totally see what's in them - which is gorgeous. I simply love my jars...Good stuff should not be too complicated. xo

Satisfied, Baby

I had to do it. I made myself a juicy burger with cheese and fried onions. The kind where the cheese melts down into the pan and gets crispy. Sprinkled pepper on the onions. Oh, yeah. A real homemade burger. Nope, not really the healthiest of meals but one of the most satisfying. I sliced up some cucumber but to tell you the truth that was not really happening; I just wanted the meat. And it's hot out today...baby.

Homemade Messes

Will Rogers' famous quote "I never met a man I didn't like", is one of my favorite quotes.

And, I never met a cook I couldn't learn something from...
Cooking is one of those things that no matter who's kitchen you go into you're going to see something different. Either how it's made or how it tastes or how it's served. It's never the same, I love to watch people cook - it's always entertaining and no matter the dish, pretty much everyone has their own way of doing it. I always think other people are more messy than I am (I know conceited, huh), then I get home and cook and think, Shit, how did this happen? I did not foresee the mess from my eggplant parm - grease splattered everywhere, sauce drips and flour all over the stove. Ewww...but you know at the end of it all - I love my kitchen so cleaning it and seeing how it looks at the end of the night, ready for the next cooking adventure, gives me a contented feeling inside.

I always like to help clean up when I'm at somebody's house. Partly because I'm nosey and like to see how other people keep their kitchens; how they organize their stuff; what kind of stuff they have; how they decorate.; how they eat..I am a kitchen hound and have been all my life, and proudly so. There is no room in a house that is more interesting. I love kitchens: I love the organized, functioning, working and meal producing, eating kinds of kitchens. Producing aromas and waking you up in the morning - overflowing with love.

Farm Tour, Part Three

Part Three: Fish Breeders of Idaho
There was one thing all three farm visits today had in common: the owners of the farms loved what they were doing. It is hard work, that was obvious, but there was a consistent desire to know the product, improve it and deliver it to consumers who appreciate it.

Our last visit on the tour was the Fish Breeders of Idaho in Hagerman. Farming trout, catfish, tilapia and sturgeon. Taking full advantage of the natural resources of the area by making use of the geothermal springs flowing throughout the area. Leo Ray gave us a tour of not one but three fish hatcheries; the first was a catfish farm; the second was to show us newly hatched and very tiny sturgeon; the third was quite a mixture - tilapia, tropical angel-fish and alligators.

Another important lesson today was the value of resourcefulness. Each farm made use of the natural resources in their area; the climate and the land. I might add that they were all proudly resourceful and willing to teach others. So close to their livelihood, simple and focused, I so enjoyed everything I was introduced to and learned on this tour. :)

Farm Tour, Part Two

Part Two: The Ecology Patch
Managed solely by Theresa Strolberg, it is a rambling organic garden and orchard in Buhl, Idaho. She was generous with her knowledge from the moment we arrived, offering us fresh well water and talking while we ate our bagged lunch. What inspired me the most was seeing what one person can do because from the outside looking in, I couldn't see head nor tails of it (it goes on and on) - and she does all of the work herself - plus selling at local farmer's markets.Walking through the garden with us, she knew every single plant and bug - she knew everything about everything going on in that garden. There were homemade greenhouses built with old doors and hay, insect traps with sticky goo inside hanging from trees. Apple, pear, plum and peach trees just starting to bear fruit - hundreds of fruit will ripen on the trees. She had an amazing net for wrapping cherry trees to keep the birds out.

We should all learn more about sustainability and self-sufficiency. She is the meaning of recycling, using milk bottles and plastic canisters to keep plants warm, her garage stacked with cartons and boxes to reuse. Leading by example, she is the kind of person that each and every one of us can learn something from, no matter our age.
I have always wanted to be a gardener. There were some amazing gardeners in my family; my great-grandfather had a cacao plantation and was an avid orchid grower. My grandmother could grow anything - there were plants anywhere she could fit them. I have always felt I did not get that gene, having killed every plant I ever tried to grow. This is where I am going to 'turn a new leaf', haha. A few weeks ago, I planted four tomato plants, parsley, sage, thyme and oregano - that's it for now - small and not overwhelming. For now I will aspire to one day have a garden like Theresa's.

Farm Tour, Part One

Part One: Ballard Family Dairy
I went on a field trip yesterday - The Idaho's Bounty Spring Farm Tour. part One: We toured the Ballard Family Dairy, a small dairy farm in Gooding, Idaho. Their love of Jersey cows turned into an artisan cheese business - amazing cheeses all handmade on their farm. The cheese they create is natural, it tastes real and it has amazing flavor. The Idaho Golden Greek is wonderful and when grilled is warm, crusted and creamy -everyone loved this cheese. Also, the aged cheddar has a nice nutty flavor - very special, and the Truffle cheddar was amazing - a rich cheese by itself that could add a decadent topping to many recipes. They have a great selection available online and in stores in Idaho.

I was familiar with the term 'natural' before but was refreshed when I was there. Natural foods taste like what they are. Processed foods are taken apart and put back together so that the foods taste exactly the same all the time, winter, spring, summer and fall - all the percentages of ingredients are always the same. That is why whole foods are the best to eat, they are just exactly that - whole, not tampered with - left in their natural state to taste like what they are. Is this a no-brainer or what?

http://www.ballardcheese.com/

An Empty Stomach

It really is funny what hunger does to you...all the road rage in L.A could probably be stopped with good food. The majority of the time when I am easily bothered or annoyed it's because I need to eat.
It was one of those days...I didn't bring enough food with me to work and by the time I got home I could eat cardboard with ketchup and it wouldn't have mattered. Potato salad, tomatoes...ate that. Wanted more, more, more! I then made 2 quesadillas with corn tortillas, oozing Muenster cheese and hot sauce. Ok, I can function again. Contented and smiling. Tostadas for later and I am at peace.

I think I need to make cornbread, that would be good tonight.

You know, it's kind of good to be hungry - starving and ravenous once in a while, food tastes really good on an empty stomach. LOL :)

Simplicity

I may be going out of my little box on this one but I am going blog about Simplicity.
It is very much in the line of thinking that goes with Cook. Eat. Inspire.
Simplicity does not mean stark and it does not mean empty. It certainly does not mean uneducated.
It means to not continually clutter your your life - with things and emotions and t.v., etc. To create a balance for oneself. To see things as they really are -  clearly. I know that there are times to be extravagant and go a bit overboard - but I am speaking here of life on a daily basis.
I could not talk about this if I had not learned about it the hard way; I have been the single mom with too much life on my plate; too much stuff - papers accumulating, the frig needs to be cleaned out, laundry's way overdue - but then there's that t.v. show on tonight that I don't want to miss...and I have to get my son to school and get to work. Back on the wheel again. I consider myself a very tidy person, organized, well that all went to the wayside during my son's elementary years from about age 6 to 11 or so, things just got left undone and got done when I damn well pleased. There was life to be lived.

To keep myself sane and make sure I feel like myself on a daily basis - I have to stick to these things:
1. Have a daily sense of accomplishment, through work and something that I do for myself.
2. A good walk. A little healthy dose of discipline.
3. Reading time. Leisurely entertainment.
4. Cooking and Eating Time. Some creative work for nourishing the body and the senses.

I do watch t.v. and I do nourish my soul by reading something spiritual. There are lots of various other things that give me a feeling of being renewed and refreshed depending on my interests.
I think the key to life is to do simple things well. It is really important to do things on a daily basis that make us feel alive; like the person we want to be.

Every generation says that theirs was a simpler time. The funny thing is, is that we are all striving for our version of that now. A sense of simple peace for ourselves and our families and the people we love.

What does simplicity mean to you? How do you go about accomplishing it?

Veggie Tostadas

I am going to soak some pinto beans overnight to make tostadas tomorrow. It is not really a big issue to think ahead - the day before you make something. Good food does not come from the age of instant gratification; it comes from planning ahead and cooking it with patience and time. After they soak just cook them with a few garlic cloves and an onion, salt when they are tender.

There are a lot of vegetarians in my family and when I eat with them I don't miss the meat and really never think about it. I thoroughly enjoy whatever we are having. My youngest sister April make tostadas, it is a production - and definitely worth all the effort. There are the tortillas that are fried; beans, of course; cheese; lettuce; black olives; tomatoes; avocado; salsa and sour cream. Sooo delicious. This is what I will be putting together tomorrow night after my beans have cooked. My mouth is watering.....

Potato Salad Supper

I ate eggplant parm for dinner last night. Then I ate it for breakfast and I just finished it off for lunch. Ok, done with eggplant parm....it was so friggin good. Done. I have some potatoes on the stove cooking for potato salad. (Almost forgot about 'em, too!)

I make my potato salad very simple:
Peel, cut and boil the potatoes, drain and cool for a few minutes. Add just enough mayo to cover them, mix well. Chop some green onions and mix in. Next add about half a cup of sliced black olives. A chopped hard-boiled egg or two. Another thing I love is bacon crumbles (but not for today). Add salt and pepper to taste.

This is a take on my Auntie Diana's potato salad. I never liked the ones that are yellow and mushy and sweet - and then this one came along at one of our family get togethers, I think it was a birthday because it was warm weather, and I was about 14 and watched her put this together. I have made it this way my whole life.

I am going to eat this with some mixed greens tossed in vinaigrette and a sliced tomato. Maybe some bread, too. Lovely dinner. I can't wait. Thank-you, A. Diana and God Bless.

Eggplant Heaven

I think I love eggplant for its deep, dark purple color.
I'm making Eggplant Parmigiana. Its very, very easy. I start with the sauce because I like to let it cook for a long time.
This is what I did:
For the sauce - 1-28 ounce can diced tomatoes, half a stick of butter, 6 cloves of garlic, 1 medium onion, chopped - put all ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and then simmer for 1 hour. After an hour using a blender or immersion blender, puree the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another half hour or so, longer is better. I always add a few splashes of hot sauce just for a little kick. The sauce can be cooked the day before or 2 days before and then reheated while you prepare the eggplant. It never hurts for flavors to sit around together for a day or 2 and get to know each other...better. :)

For the eggplant- Heat skillet with about 1 inch vegetable oil.
Slice the eggplant about 1/2 inch thick. Let Drain on a paper towel. (I like the skin, so I leave it on).
Whisk 2 eggs, for dipping in a dish.
Put 1cup flour in a dish, for dredging (season the flour with salt and pepper)

Have 1cup of grated mozzarella and 1/2 cup smoked mozzarella prepared. Toss together.
Also, 1/4 cup or so of grated parmesan cheese

Make sure the eggplant is dry and coat with egg mixture, then coat with flour. Fry about 3 minutes on each side; drain on a paper towel.
In a rectangular casserole dish, ladel just a bit of the sauce to coat the bottom. I like to overlap the eggplant slices in the dish. Ladel the remaining sauce over the top. Sprinkle the cheeses over the top and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. I personally like the cheese to get a little dark - it's the best part. Smells Fantastic!!! Some bread for mopping up the sauce....

Chocolate Orange Decadence

I was really in the mood for pudding. And let me tell you something its a whole helluva lot easier, more economical and DECADENT to make your own. Please, do yourself a favor and never buy pudding mixes in those little boxes. It's one of the easiest things in the world to make from scratch.

Here's what I did:

I took 3 ounces of good semi-sweet chocolate (Scharffen Berger is the best)and melted it very slowly on low heat on the stove.
I added 2/3 cup sugar. Then added 1 cup milk and 1 cup half and half. I was lucky and happened to have on hand a vanilla bean, and used a bout half an inch, scraping the inside and throwing the remaining pod in for good measure. But you can use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Then I added 3 tablespoons cornstarch and whisked this together until it became thick and bubbly.
Continuing to whisk as I took it off the fire I added 1 teaspoon of ORANGE ANGOSTURA BITTERS.

Surprise, huh! I have previously blogged about the original bitters and love that but this is a new flavor they have and let me tell you something - Orange bitters rocks! Anytime you want an enhanced orange flavor or spicy citrus flavor try it.

I let the pudding get cold and then eat the best part - the 'skin' that forms on the top. My God what is better than that.

Cook. Eat. Inspire....Rock on.

Beans & Legumes

Beans and legumes are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are high in folate, potassium, iron and magnesium. They're also a good source of protein and can be a healthy substitute for meat. With no fat or cholesterol, another important feature is that they are full of fiber.

The best and most economical way to buy beans is dried.
First off, you will need to sort through the dried beans or legumes - sometimes there are tiny rocks mixed in.
Next you will need to presoak - beans. I like to them soak overnight - I rinse them at this point and get rid of any "floaters". Just put the amount of beans you intend to use in a pot and fill the pot with water. Swish them around and pick the floaters off the top. I usually rinse three times.
Let the beans soak at least 8 hours or overnight. Soaking allows the beans to cook more evenly.
After the soaking is done; Drain off the water and rinse one last time. Fill up the pot with cold water and start the cooking process on the stove. At this point you can add a hamhock, onions, garlic, etc. Once the beans  are fork tender but still a bit crunchy, add carrots, celery, potatoes.
Add the salt at the very end when the beans are done - adding salt the salt before the beans are done prevents the absorbing of liquid and the surface of the beans peel and curl; they do not turn out soft and tender.

Legumes are quicker cooking, for instance lentils and dried peas are done in 30 to 40 minutes.
Rinse them as you would dried beans. Pick through them and removed the floaters. I put them in a strainer and rinse for a good thirty second under running water.

Last night I made lentil soup with barley. It took about 40 minutes from start to finish. I added a clove of garlic, about half a small onion, chicken broth for the liquid and let it simmer. Filling, delicious and nutritious.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/

Over the Kitchen Sink

In Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, Ninny Threadgoode is talking to Evelyn Couch and she says that she likes those brown and serve rolls with a little syrup and you can only eat like that at home.
I love, love, love this book. I love what Mrs. Threadgoode says here about how we eat at home because there is a difference. Eating at home is not at all like eating in a restaurant or eating out in public.

Lots of times I have eaten a cold pancake long after breakfast was over with whatever was around - grape jelly, bacon crumbles from the paper towel they were drained on...stuffing my mouth over the kitchen sink.

Don't be confused here; I do love the ritual of the meal - sitting down at a table - enjoying it thoroughly.

But eating home cooked food can be lots of things...a bite left in the pan that there is no reason to put in the frig...put in my mouth saves time. Over the pan; Over the sink. Less mess, ya know. No waste.

I love sweetened condensed milk and if I have an open can in the frig I will put it in my tea. I will also eat it with a spoon out of the can standing in front of the refrigerator right before bed. And I don't feel one bit guilty.

What have you eaten over the kitchen sink lately?

Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs

I absolutely love my long walks on Saturdays. I try to walk every day but that doesn't always happen. There's something about being outside in the fresh air that lifts my spirits, brings me down to earth and relieves stress. It is not the same on a treadmill - yes there is the exercise factor and that does do good but the fresh air is really important.

Lunch was literally tossed salad and scrambled eggs.  I had a good appetite after a long walk and ate a huge plate. I eat this a lot and always get the song from Frasier in my head when I do, it's one of my favorite shows so it's all good.

After my ice cream and coffee yesterday...I have been splurging ever since. I had two yesterday and one already today...possibly another before the day is over. I could have it for breakfast...Obsessed, yes, but it will only last until the ice cream is gone. :)

Vanilla Ice Cream & Coffee

I love vanilla ice cream with good strong coffee poured over it. Decadent...
The ice cream melts fast so it doesn't last long.

Comforting and satisfying to the soul.

The Contented Taco

I admit to being a creature of habit as far as breakfast and lunch go. I can eat the same thing day after day for both and not even think about - What happens is I buy enough for the week and have it to last me at least throught the workweek.
Dinner is a different story. I like to cook and be creative but most of the time I do keep it pretty simple.
Tonight I made tacos. I fried some flour tortillas, cooked some ground turkey meat with some onion and salt and pepper, filled the shell with the meat, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and sour cream. Perfect! I don't need anything else. I am full and content...Peace.

Wholesome Rocks!

I am not going to do this half-assed.
There will be no premade or prepackaged food. No frozen meals to put in the microwave. No cake mixes or bottles of salad dressing. Nothing imitation. No energy bars. Real wholesome food cooked at home. Real food, not quick fixes.

Another thing I have been thinking about is snacks. If I am eliminating snack foods then I should eliminate snacks altogether, right? No, I don't think so.

First of all, it is important to eat 3 meals a day - but absolutley not stuff yourself at a meal. I am not a big breakfast person when I go to work in the morning, but I have to have something. After a few hours of work I need something else: an apple or a banana. In the afternoon, I love tea and a lot of the time I have to have something to go with it - toast or a cookie or something. A snack to tide you over should not be 500 calories and full of fat. I just want to eat good wholesome food - and stay away from the single serving foods at the convenience store. I am trying -  The more I think about it and delve into this the more I enjoy and appreciate what I eat.
I also want to stay away from labels about eating well. This is not a diet; it's not about religion; it's not about exercise or being fit. It's just about cooking at home and eating well and being inspired.

One Bad Apple

Unknowingly, of course, I bought some lousy, mealy apples. I thought, What the hell am I going to do with these now?  They sat around on the counter for a few days, then last night I was making pound cake and decided to grated one and add it to the batter. Voila! No waste, the cake turned out really super moist and I didn't feel guilty about the possibility of throwing them out.

Other ideas I had about using mushy, mealy apples:
Pancake batter
Muffins
Cook them into applesauce
Add to ground turkey, with an egg and garlic, mustard and don't forget the bitters - for turkey burgers
Grate and add to other fruit for a pie or crisp

Add cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar for your taste to enhance the apple flavor.

I have used apple juice concentrate for sweetener in pies and cobblers, try adding grated apple to berry cobblers or pies - even apple pie to give an added oomph!

A Life in a House

I read Rosamunde Pilcher's, The Shell Seekers, 20 or so years ago when it first became popular. I loved her books so much that I have read each and every one of them at least twice and I keep them all with my favorite books. What I couldn't seem to get enough of was that the stories were about homes and gardens and how they make us feel; more importantly how they should  make us feel. Growing a garden to actually make your meals and cooking food rather than opening a can and heating it up. I was thoroughly intrigued by all of this, not that I did not have a good upbringing, I certainly did, but life in her books revolved around making the home a place of comfort and renewal, not just to go to sleep and take a shower. In reading her novels I was determined to make a home like the ones she described.  Comforting and welcoming and refreshing. Peace should start at home, it literally has to.

A proper home does not just mean clean sheets and a hot shower. It should mean a comfortable chair with a good lamp to read; An uncluttered kitchen with work spaces to make meals; A potted plant here and there; Hot nourishing soup simmering on the stove; Music playing; Everything you have in your home you should truly love for one reason or another. Love it because of its memory or if its ugly and it just belongs there then its your reason for loving it and having it in your home. A real home is for living. I have never understood houses that are enormous. How do you live like that? Yes, space is one thing but vast open spaces as a home are not what I would call comforting.

Parsley and Oregano just planted last week! 

Another thing I learned reading Rosamunde Pilcher's books was that the outside of a house is just as important as the inside. I have only had small bouts with actually having a yard in my life, so I am hoping to develop myself into a green thumb, although I am terrible at even growing indoor plants. It can't be that hard to remember to water them, right? I have started small so that I don't overwhelm myself with the bounty, hehe...

Lovely Summer Salads

I love salads. In the summer I eat them all the time. And the thing about my salads is that I like HUGE salads - the size of a basketball! When I have a huge salad in the afternoon after work it is usually enough that I do not have to have any dinner.

I take the bowl down and just start throwing things in.

Here are some salad ingredient ideas:

**different types of lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
**tomatoes, avocados, green onions
**beans of some sort, garbanzo or black tend to be my favorite
**carrots in lovely ribbons made with a vegetable peeler
**any vegetable like zucchini that can be made thin with the peeler
**grated cheese, like mozzarella, cheddar or parmesan or feta
**hardboiled eggs
**any cold leftover meat or bacon
**roasted veggies, like eggplant, squash and bell peppers
**albacore tuna
**smoked salmon

I like to make everything bite sized so its easy to eat.

To make it even more of a meal I will broil some chicken, fish or whatever meat I have and slice it thinly then toss that into the bowl.

For dressing I like to keep it simple and its just olive oil, balsamic vinegar a squeeze of lemon and some salt and pepper. If I have fresh herbs I will add some(finely chopped) basil or thyme or a pinch of herbs de provence. A smashed and very finely minced garlic clove once in a while is good. Bottled dressings...I have gotten over those.

Give it a good toss and eat it in the huge bowl it was created in. A baguette to dip into the dressing and a cold beer or a glass of pinot and you're there. LOVELY!! Summer is here!!

A Bakers' Dog

One day after bringing in the groceries and putting them on the floor in the kitchen. After putting everything away I remembered I'd bought a baguette. Looking around I happened to look down the hallway to see part of it sticking out from under my bed. Duke, that little character, had stole my baguette!

There were packages of meat and cheese in the bags, but my dog stole the baguette! Seriously, now, you might think that my dog was a French poodle, but, he's a rat terrier. The dog loves bread. He will fight the cat if she comes anywhere near me when he thinks he might get a piece of a baguette, growling at her, quite literally cussing her out. And my poor little cat, she will walk backwards to get away from that situation, not understanding the bread thing at all.

Paws OFF the table!

Bakers' Pantry

If there is one thing I know how to do it's bake. I learned to bake before I could cook and I have a diploma from Le Cordon Bleu in Patisserie and Baking. So I have bantered with the idea of not buying any prepackaged mixes for a while now. Silly, though, I will still keep cornbread mixes and brownie mixes in my pantry - but why?

Today when I stopped at the market, I looked at the brownie boxes for a while. What really is in a brownie? By the way, I am sure the Pentagon knows. But, really, what staples should I be keeping to make a batch of brownies? That's the type of thing I would want to whip up in a few minutes if I decided to make them.

*butter
*unsweetened chocolate
*eggs
*sugar
*vanilla
*flour
*nuts

All of the ingredients in brownies are staples in the pantry - very basic ingredients. Why buy a mix??? Is it supposedly easier to buy a mix? Or can you set up your kitchen so that it's easy to get to your ingredients in the pantry? Yes. And memorize what is in a brownie. Um, yes. Or know what you need for your favorite baked items - like chocolate chip cookies, pound cake, peanut butter cookies. No need to buy the mix, buy the main ingredient and keep it on hand with the rest of your pantry items.

Bakers Pantry List
**flour
**sugar
**baking powder
**baking soda
**brown sugar
**vanilla extract
**cocoa powder (unsweetened)
**unsweetened chocolate
**brown sugar
**chocolate chips
**nuts
**peanut butter
**powdered sugar

With these ingredients on hand it's easy to make just about anything you are in the mood for. My son loves madeleines and plain vanilla pound cake and I have always made them from scratch. Eggs and butter are the most common things to have on hand, add them to anything on this list and there you have it. Other items you may want are cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, cream of tartar, ground ginger and various extracts like almond and lemon. Without all those premade boxes there's more room in the cupboard, too!
Happy baking!

Crepes, Coffee, and Rod Stewart

Today is the opposite of yesterday: rainy and grey and quiet. The birds did not wake up the cats and my little dog stayed in bed after I got up.

The perfect day to have a good cup of coffee and play some music. I have an aunt that I spent a lot of time with when I was young and when she got up every day the summer I spent with her, she would make a pot of coffee and put on Rod Stewart's album, Crossing the Atlantic. She's French, so it was very ritualistic. I had coffee with her from about age 12. She taught me to make crepes and flip them. We would make a huge pile of them and have them with sour cream and sugar. The two of us and my two little toddler cousins would eat the whole pile. The trick with the crepe batter was to add some beer, and I have always added beer to my crepe batter. And flip them when they start to look like a giraffe. I loved the way she said giraffe and whenever I make them I can hear her voice when it is time to flip them. She is probably the most charming human being I have ever known in my life.

We walked all over Santa Monica that summer with my two little cousins in strollers. One time she took me to the Tudor House and we got a package of McVities chocolate digestive biscuits. We ate the whole pack before we got to the apartment which was not that far. She said they reminded her of London. They were the best cookies(biscuits) I had ever eaten - and to this day have ever eaten. I have always kept them in my cupboard as often as possible, although, between my son and me they never last long.

It is amazing how some memories can define certain parts of us. That summer when I was 12 and living with my grandmother - when my grandmother went to work she would drop me off at my aunt and uncles apartment on 5th street in Santa Monica. Of course, everything changed after that summer, I grew up and wanted to be with my friends. I started ice skating and most of my teenage years were spent on the ice after that. The summer I spent with her defined my taste in food, a way that I would eat for the rest of my life - camembert, curries, big plates of fried potatoes, yogurt. She also helped define a personal style, a way of wearing clothes that was feeling them and owning them. A new pair of shoes was not your own until they were scuffed and you wore them and walked in them; the scuffs and the bends were yours and they molded to your body.

Some crepes sound good right  now. And three kisses...xxx

Wholesome Goodness

I woke up this morning to a beautiful blue sky shining through my bedroom window - after all the rain we've been having it was a welcome sight. I didn't get up right away, I needed to stare at it and take it in. Finally, though, I did get up and open the door for the cats and let my dog pee. A good strong and big cup of coffee and the smell of the fresh outdoors called me on my walk.

For most of my adult life I have taken a walk on Saturday morning. Living here it was only a short walk through town to a hiking trail with my little rat terrier, Duke. It was not too warm and the breeze was just right. It wakes up your appetite and makes water taste amazing.


On my walk I was figuring out what I was hungry for - I felt like something wholesome and a lot of it. Hot cereal...perfect. I made 7-grain cereal, Bob's Red Mill. I love the stuff. You have to let it cook down quite a bit, but there is nothing more filling and hearty and wholesome after a long Saturday morning walk.
I have walked everywhere it seems. In the city. On the beach. In a small town. Hiking up a mountain. One of life's most simple and wholesome gifts - is to be able to take a walk outside. When I took a trip to London with my Aunt Diana most of our time was spent walking here and walking there - I loved to see what people were wearing: street fashion, it was the best way to see that city, up close and personal.

A walk along the beach in the early  morning is one of my favorite things. The weather is just right and the air smells sweet. There is a kind of sweet innocence about the early morning when the world is waking up. It's wholesome. :) Now I will meander through the rest of my day.

It Just Tastes Good

The law of nature is do the thing and you shall have the power. Ralph Waldo Emerson

Once you get to cooking you'll just start to put good things together.
The ritual of the meal will start to fall into place when you start to cook it. Dishes will come down, the table laid, even for yourself. A plate of sliced fruit, bread and cheese. Simplicity. A tossed green salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette. Roasted chicken and carrots with lemon and rosemary. It sounds elegant doesn't it? You can just picture it because each thing was mentioned individually - you could picture each one in its own dish on the table. Yet it was a very very simple meal. Simplicity should be special.

Tonight I had spaghetti with Parmesan and butter, green salad and a big mug of tea. It's been raining all day - pasta was a go-to. Inspiration: It just tastes good. I just put it together and I knew it would fill me up and taste good.

Maybe for yourself your taste  might be for a grilled cheese with dill pickles. You might get crazy and have sloppy joe meat wrapped in lettuce leaves. How about that fried egg sandwich, pommes frites and a small tossed salad. Or as simple as life should be - a poached egg on toast - mmm. Not too shabby.

It's All About Eating

Some days are so busy getting things done - and when they do finally get done it's not at a certain time like lunch time or dinner time. You work hard until they get done - time doesn't matter - you're starving, ravenous, in fact. At a time like this you reach for things you know and crave. The best thing about this kind of food is that it's quick - you know that pan to mouth it's only going to be about 5 - 10 minutes max. I have my Go-To foods that have to fill me up fast:
I love my pomme frites with spicy ketchup.
A quesadilla with salsa and sour cream or whatever can fill it up along with the stringy melting cheese.
A big bowl of chocolate malt-o-meal.
A baguette with Nutella.
Cornbread with beans.
A big bowl of cereal, probably Life.
Sourdough bread toasted with melted brie.
A grilled cheese on sourdough with bacon and tomato.
Nachos with lots of cheese and anything that willl go with them, leftover meat, beans and salsa.
Any leftovers in the fridge lucky enough to taste better the next day.
Eggs any which way you feel like having them.
This is 'just plain eatin', it is not a rounded meal per se. It is needed to fill you up fast, and not be fast food. Times like these happen to everyone and we need the comfort after a stressful time of work or just plain life. The joy of this kind of eating is that we always go for what we know and love. Time to get home fix something quick to eat, get into your jammies, EAT and get some serious sleep. It does help to call your best friend and vent while eating - and usually talk about what you're eating for just a quick second to get an approving 'mmmm' from them while sitting on the couch with your feet up on the coffee table, remote in hand.
There you have it: Life happens; Work happens; and you get stressed and tired. The dishes can wait.

Ode to Cornmeal

Ah my little postings.
Last night I made corn bread in a cast iron skillet as I have been doing for the last five years or so. When my son was growing up I made this frequently, maybe once a week. It was his snack, or breakfast on the run. Cornmeal is one of the staples in my house. I am not from the south, either. Having a grandmother from Trinidad helped, though. She used to make thin little corncakes for breakfast once in a while and I ate them with butter and honey. That's where this all started...

I have put cornmeal in pound cake and the texture it gives is amazing.
Cornmeal cereal - made just like cream of wheat, I add half milk/half water to cook and add the sugar while it's on the stove. My son loved this when he was young.
Fruit cobbler with a flour and cornmeal batter mixture, mmm.
It makes a great batter to coat fish or meats before frying.
Replace some flour, about a half cup, for pumpkin bread or zucchini bread.
Add cheese or mild green chillies to cornbread batter.
Chili and cornbread, a match made in heaven.

Last night I had it with butter and a little Lyle's golden syrup. Today I had it with a sliced tomato and some pinto beans cooked with onion and garlic.

I've seen people eat it kinda funky, too. One woman I remember crumbled up cornbread in a glass, poured milk over it, then put a handfull of raw onions on top. The things people eat when they think you aren't looking!

It is quite interesting how we use staples when we don't buy premade foods. Certain foods on their own start to look good to eat; a whole tomato, plain beans with onion and garlic. Nothing fancy. Don't get me wrong; I like fancy too, and I like it a whole lot, but there are occasions for that. Definitely not every day, but the simple life does not need to be hokey or defined as rural.

Simplicity is wholesome good food no matter what kind of shoes you wear.

Take A Bite & Smile

"If you smile when no one else is around, you really mean it." Andy Rooney

Last night I made a chicken and broccoli stir fry(teriyaki-ish) with garlic and crushed red pepper. It was a bit too spicy but it was really good and I ate every bite.

Today I went to my friend's daughters high school graduation. She had a family get-together after and there was plenty of homemade food and plenty of hands in the kitchen. It was awesome and I pretty much stuck to the homemade food, including the salsa which I was really impressed with, I had no problem sticking with my plan, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

I always love my kitchen, as long as it is mine alone and visitors come to eat, help out and the go to their respective homes. I love to keep it organized; I love to keep it clean; I love to create things while listening to the hum of the refrigerator. I love to listen to music while I cook.
Yesterday when I was slicing the chicken breasts for my stir-fry the knife was dull so I reached for my sharpener and after several swirls it was sharp and worked beautifully again. Sharp knives in the kitchen are the most important tools to have. The more I learn about cooking the more goofy gadgets I give away and have finally pared it down to the bare essentials. I learned to bake bread so I do not need a breadmaker.

No, wait, I take that back; Your hands are the most important tools to have. Once I remember making a huge salad and pouring the dressing over it, and out of sheer impatience I tossed it with my hands. My grandmother was right there and said 'the best tools are your hands'.

Smile to yourself and use your hands.